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Membership Levels - Finally!
- From: manybikes
- Description:
  
  Attention Community Members!
  
  Membership Levels have finally arrived on the Cruiser Customizing Community!
  
  The more you contribute... the higher your membership level... the greater your reward!
  
  Not yet a member? Click here to Join Now For Free
  
  Since the launch of the Community mid 2008, we have been talking about membership levels, and how to reward our top contributing members. We have set up the levels, we gave them fun names, and we then began working on the measurement portion of the equation.
  
  Today we GO LIVE with membership points based on participation and the levels are as follows:
  
  How do you earn points?
  
  It's simple! Every function of the Community as a point value associated with it... and as you participate you earn points.
  
  To Start, every member is given 250 points upon sign-up and every time you return to the Community your will earn 5 an additional 5 points.
  
  In addition to the points you will receive for logging-in you will receive points for the following:
  - Updating your profile
  - Adding another member as your friend
  - Accepting another as your friend
  - Joining a Group
  - Adding a Video
  - Adding a Photo
  - Adding a Profile Photo
  - Adding an Audio Track
  - Adding a Blog (Story) Post
  - Starting a Message Board Discussion
  - Replying to a Discussion
  - Commenting on Media, Profiles, Groups
  - Rating a Item
  - Adding Tags
  - Making Favorites
  - etc...
  Where will you see your point accumulate? On your Member Profile
  
  Here on the left you can see my initial 250 points for being a Member of our Cruiser Customizing Community!
  
  As I have added photos, rated others, and have created this story I have earned a couple more points... take a look at the photo to the right -->
  
  The point earnings start Today and All Members are on the same page!
  
  All Neighborhood Riders will be sent a Cruiser Customizing Key Chain
  
  All City Riders will be sent a Cruiser Customizing T-Shirt
  
  Prizes for other levels will be posted at a later date... so stay tuned!
  
  For those of you who are already contribution wizards... think of it as Practice!
  
  I look forward to seeing your exciting contributions as we roll forward.
  
  Thank you for your participation!
  
  If you are not a member of the Largest World Wide Motorcycle Community, click here to Join Now for Free!
  
  Member Benefits
  - Share your photos, videos, and stories
  - Search install articles
  - Your own "My Bike" web page to post photos and show off your ride.
  - Making a purchase? Forgot your order number, no worries, members can view their order history with ease.
  - Post product reviews.
  - Create an accessories wishlist.
  - Post the items you own or want to sell.
  - Find other members near by.
  Looking forward to seeing you here as well as out on the open road!
  
  Kyle
  
  Kyle Bradshaw
  
  Community Director
  
  Cruiser Customizing - Shared Passion. Individual Style.
  
  http://www.CruiserCustomizing.com/manybikes
- Blog post
- 7 months ago
- Favorite count: 15
- Views: 984
Friends vs. Biker Friends
- From: crAzyAce
- Description:
  
  FRIENDS VS. BIKER FRIENDS
  
  FRIENDS: Never ask for food.
  BIKER FRIENDS: Are the reason you have no food.
  
  FRIENDS: Will say "hello".
  BIKER FRIENDS: Will give you a big hug and a kiss.
  
  FRIENDS: Call your parents Mr. and Mrs.
  BIKER FRIENDS: Call your parents mom and dad.
  
  FRIENDS: Have never seen you cry.
  BIKER FRIENDS: Cry with you.
  
  FRIENDS: Will eat at your dinner table and leave.
  BIKER FRIENDS: Will spend hours there, talking, laughing and just being together.
  
  FRIENDS: Borrow your stuff for a few days then give it back.
  BIKER FRIENDS: Keep your stuff so long they forget it's yours.
  
  FRIENDS: Know a few things about you.
  BIKER FRIENDS: Could write a book with direct quotes from you.
  
  FRIENDS: Will leave you behind if that's what the crowd is doing.
  BIKER FRIENDS: Will kick the whole crowds' ••• that left you.
  
  FRIENDS: Would knock on your door.
  BIKER FRIENDS: Walk right in and say, "I'm home!".
  
  FRIENDS: Are for a while.
  BIKER FRIENDS: Are for life.
  
  FRIENDS: Will ignore this.
  BIKER FRIENDS: Will forward this.
- Blog post
- 9 months ago
- Favorite count: 11
- Views: 525
My Special "OLDLADY".
- From: ILUVRHV4S
- Description:
  
  This is a tale (completely true) about the love of my life ( I mean besides my bike ). Her name is VICKIE and she has a deep deep heart. As the saying goes "It is not if you ever go down on your bike, but when...". Well, I have had my share. I have been riding some 39 or 40 years now. I have gone down 4 times. Three of these times have been due to a car hitting me.
  
  The last time I was hit, I had just left work about 6:30 pm on a beautiful summer evening. Newport Beach was the city. Pacific Coast Highway was the road.
  I was on my way home for dinner, enjoying the breeze and thoughts of relaxing with my lady.
  A Suburban SUV makes an illegal left turn directly in front of me. Heart races... Brakes squeeze...
  BOOM!
  The inevitable happens....
  After the impact, I am hurled upwards. As some of you may know time changes during an accident. Things can become very vivid and seem to be in slow motion. I know that there was only a short period between the impact and my final landing in the street (perhaps 10 or 15 yards away). The memory I recall the strongest is that during this short flight, I was able to repeat for three complete times.... "I should have landed by now..... I should have landed by now..... I SHOULD HAVE LANDED BY NOW !!! I seemed to float forever.
  Anyways, I am drifting from my point.... Instinct kicked in and I recall dragging myself to the curb and assessing my condition. I tried to stand. NOPE! Standing was not an option. The sirens came through. The crowd that had appeared now separated to allow the medical staff an opening to reach me. I remember the paramedics as they eased me on to the back board and then they placed me into the back of the ambulance.
  Upon arriving at the emergency room it was determined that my left leg and hand had been broken by the impact. I lay awaiting the further tests and diagnosis. An orderly had brought a phone to my bed so that I could contact Vickie. I had a hard time telling her because I knew that she would be hurt. She so loves me and when I am hurting, she is always beside me and is a true partner, but she fears ever losing me to a motorcycle accident, or through any other method (As I fear ever losing her).
  Within a short time, I saw Vickie's face come around the curtain that surrounded my bed. Her face was red and moist. She had been crying all the way to the hospital.
  As our eyes met, Vickie, who was dying inside to view me broken up in an emergency room bed, uttered the words that to this day get me misty eyed....
  "I UNDERSTAND IF YOU GET ANOTHER BIKE....."
  These were her first words, so you know she had been churning this thought over and over on the drive to the hospital.
  I know many friends who have had to put up their bikes. They have children. They have wives. There are many reasons, but I am blessed with a wonderful woman who knew that along with my love for her I possessed a deep love for motorcycles. And even after an accident that took many many operations and months of rehab, I remember that I have an "OLD LADY" that would look at me, understand and say.......
  "I UNDERSTAND IF YOU GET ANOTHER BIKE....."
  
  I love you Vickie with all my heart and soul!
  Stephen Chetkin
- Blog post
- 1 year ago
- Favorite count: 7
- Views: 1296
I'm a biker
- From: crAzyAce
- Description:
  
  A biker went to a bar and ordered a drink. As he sat sipping his whiskey, a young lady sat down next to him. She turned to the biker and asked, "Are you a real biker?" He replied, "Well, I've spent my whole life on Bikes. My momma was pregnant with me when she rode on the back of my Daddy's Bike, then as a little boy I rode on the back with my Daddy until I finally got my own Bike. I've been riding a Bike ever since. So yes, I guess I am a real biker." She said, "I'm a lesbian. I spend my whole day thinking about women. As soon as I get up in the morning, I think about women; when I shower, watch TV, eat, whatever, everything seems to make me think of women." Then she got up and left. The biker was thinking about what just happened when a man sat down next to the biker and asked, "Are you a real biker?" He replied, "I always thought I was, but I just found out I'm a lesbian."
- Blog post
- 6 months ago
- Favorite count: 6
- Views: 341
The CC Community and The Barbe
- From: RMFIII
- Description:
  
  Song writer and Country and Western Star, Toby Keith, has a song called, "I love this bar" and his sentiments for his bar are the same for me and this site. The site offers the opportunity to conveniently purchase accessories for ones ride with just a click of the mouse. The information on the site is just down right invaluable if the situation arises where one needs a quick fix or in depth instruction, and the people on this site are second to none.
  
  The CC site reminds me of yesteryear before men went to hair salons for haircuts. Most men of the day went to the local community Barber Shop. Now for those who may not remember the barber shop the barber shop was more than a place to get your hair cut.
  
  Now, although the barber shops primary business was to cut and trim hair many other things took place in the shop. Actually very little hair cutting actually took place as I remember. It was more of a social club. Chairs lined the walls and they always seemed to have a body in them unless it was a nice day and the sun was shinning then a few would go outside and sit on the bench in front of the barber shop. Folks would come to the barber shop to catch up on events in the community, tell jokes, get a few hunting and fishing tips, gossip, Tell a few fishing and hunting stories, read magazines and the local paper, give some old fashioned ribbing to each other, play cards or checkers, disseminate information from those in the know on various topics, and a lie or two may have even been told.
  
  Heck the barber shop even sold things such as various hair tonics, combs, after shaves, a litte hair grease, and there were even a few jars of Roses Butch Wax (Remember the stuff for the front of Flat Top Cut?) on the shelf. Although the barber had wares for sale I kinda figured he did not sell too much because there was always a good layer of dust on the merchandise but the barber still had his doors open for the community and everyone had the opportunity to express their opinions and views if they choose to do so. Now there may have been a disagrement or two mind you, but they were always short lived and life continued on.
  
  Does the barber shop kinda sound like the Cruiser Customizing site? I find a little of everything happening on this site. The topics talked about range from here to there. One cannot guess what they will find on the media post and as far as the membership goes. We got grease monkeys, techno geeks, photographers, joke tellers, story tellers, and readers. We got workers, retirees, posters, posers, greeters, Teachers, Preachers, and point chasers. We got riders, going to be riders, just became riders, builders, designers, and organizers. We got drivers, boaters, racers, truckers, Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, and Airmen. We got men, women, singers, wives, girlfriends, boyfriends, husbands, fathers , mothers, music writers, and music players. We got public servents, police, first responders of both genders. We got people from various walks of life and in who live in various countries. Talk about diversity we got it!
  
  The best thing we have is the shared passion for riding and although we are all different this one thing brings us all together. That with the opportunity to be as active or inactive as we want is a big plus. We can choose to express ourselves or choose not to do so. We can post comments, pictures, videos, or we can just sit back and relax, read, or watch and take it all in. Life is good and everyone is welcome.
  
  Sorry for getting a little long winded but I just had to state why I love this site and make a little comparison between the CC community and the Barber Shop. I hope I did not bore you to death.
  
  Ride Safe
  
  RMFIII
- Blog post
- 5 months ago
- Favorite count: 5
- Views: 374
Unhappily Married Biker
- From: crAzyAce
- Description:
  
  One Sunday an old biker walks into church and sits down in the front row. As the preacher is beginning his sermon, the devil suddenly appears at the altar. The members of the congregation, including the preacher himself, flee the church in terror, all except for this one old biker in the front row. The devil notices this one biker still in the church and walks down from the altar to confront him. He roars at the man, "Do you know who I am?" "Why of course I know who you are," the man calmly replies. "You're Satan." "And you're not afraid of me like the others?" the devil asks somewhat miffed. To which the biker replies, "No. Why should I be? I've been married to your sister for the last 25 years."
- Blog post
- 6 months ago
- Favorite count: 5
- Views: 367
Ten Years
- From: crAzyAce
- Description:
  
  A man is stranded on a desert island, all alone for ten years. One day, he sees a speck in the horizon. He thinks to himself, "It's not a ship." The speck gets a little closer and he thinks, "It's not a boat." The speck gets even closer and he thinks, "It's not a raft." Then, out of the surf comes this gorgeous blonde woman, wearing a wet suit and scuba gear. She comes up to the guy and she says, "How long has it been since you've had a cigarette?" "Ten years!" he says. She reaches over, unzips a waterproof pocket on her left sleeve and pulls out a pack of fresh cigarettes. He takes one, lights it, takes a long drag and says, "Man, oh man! Is that good!" Then she asks, "How long has it been since you've had a drink of whiskey?" He replies, "Ten years!" She reaches over, unzips her waterproof pocket on the right, pulls out a flask and gives it to him. He takes a long swig and says, "Wow, that's fantastic!" Then she starts unzipping this long zipper that runs down the front of her wet suit and she says to him, "And how long has it been since you've had some real fun?" And the man replies, "My God! Don't tell me you've got a motorcycle in there!"
- Blog post
- 6 months ago
- Favorite count: 5
- Views: 261
Squirrel of Death
- From: JustChris
- Description:
  
  I found this one day and HAVE to share it with you all ,,,,,
  
  Squirrel Of Death while Riding My Motorbike in a quiet Neighborhood
  Current mood: adventurous
  
  The Dangerous Squirrel.
  
  I never dreamed slowly cruising through a residential neighborhood could be so incredibly dangerous!
  
  As I turned onto the nearly empty streets I opened the visor on my full-face helmet to get some air. I figured some slow riding through the quiet surface streets would give me time to relax, think, and regain that "edge" so frequently required when riding.
  
  Little did I suspect.
  
  As I passed an oncoming car, a brown furry missile shot out from under it and tumbled to a stop immediately in front of me.
  
  It was a squirrel, and must have been trying to run across the road when it encountered the car. I really was not going very fast, but there was no time to brake or avoid it-it was that close.
  
  I hate to run over animals and I really hate it on a motorcycle, but a squirrel should pose no danger to me. I barely had time to brace for the impact.
  
  Animal lovers, never fear. Squirrels can take care of themselves!
  
  Inches before impact, the squirrel flipped to his feet. He was standing on his hind legs and facing the oncoming Valkyrie with steadfast resolve in his little beady eyes.
  
  His mouth opened, and at the last possible second, he screamed and leapt! I am pretty sure the scream was squirrel for, "Banzai!" or maybe, "Die you gravy-sucking, heathen scum!" as the leap was spectacular and he flew over the windshield and impacted me squarely in the chest.
  
  Instantly he set upon me. If I did not know better I would have sworn he brought twenty of his little buddies along for the attack.
  
  Snarling, hissing, and tearing at my clothes, he was a frenzy of activity. As I was dressed only in a light t-shirt, summer riding gloves, and jeans this was a bit of a cause for concern. This furry little tornado was doing some damage!
  
  Picture a large man on a huge black and chrome cruiser, dressed in jeans, a t-shirt, and leather gloves puttering maybe 25mph down a quiet residential street and in the fight of his life with a squirrel. And losing.
  
  I grabbed for him with my left hand and managed to snag his tail. With all my strength I flung the evil rodent off the left of the bike, almost running into the right curb as I recoiled from the throw.
  
  That should have done it. The matter should have ended right there.
  
  It really should have. The squirrel could have sailed into one of the pristinely kept yards and gone on about his business, and I could have headed home.
  
  No one would have been the wiser.
  
  But this was no ordinary squirrel. This was not even an ordinary pissed-off squirrel.
  
  This was an evil attack squirrel of death!
  
  Somehow he caught my gloved finger with one of his little hands, and with the force of the throw swung around and with a resounding thump and an amazing impact he landed square on my back and resumed his rather anti-social and extremely distracting activities.
  
  He also managed to take my left glove with him!
  
  The situation was not improved. Not improved at all. His attacks were continuing, and now I could not reach him.
  
  I was startled to say the least. The combination of the force of the throw, only having one hand (the throttle hand) on the handlebars, and my jerking back unfortunately put a healthy twist through my right hand and into the throttle.
  
  A healthy twist on the throttle of a Valkyrie can only have one result. Torque. This is what the Valkyrie is made for, and she is very, very good at it.
  
  The engine roared as the front wheel left the pavement. The squirrel screamed in anger.
  
  The Valkyrie screamed in ecstasy. I screamed in, well, I just plain screamed.
  
  Now picture a large man on a huge black and chrome cruiser, dressed in jeans, a slightly squirrel torn t-shirt, and only one leather glove roaring at maybe 70mph and rapidly accelerating down a quiet residential street on one wheel and with a demonic squirrel on his back.
  
  The man and the squirrel are both screaming bloody murder.
  
  With the sudden acceleration I was forced to put my other hand back on the handlebars and try to get control of the bike.
  
  This was leaving the mutant squirrel to his own devices, but I really did not want to crash into somebody's tree, house, or parked car.
  
  Also, I had not yet figured out how to release the throttle, my brain was just simply overloaded.
  
  I did manage to mash the back brake, but it had little affect against the massive power of the big cruiser.
  
  About this time the squirrel decided that I was not paying sufficient attention to this very serious battle (maybe he is a Scottish attack squirrel of death), and he came around my neck and got IN my full-face helmet with me.
  
  As the faceplate closed partway and he began hissing in my face I am quite sure my screaming changed tone and intensity.
  
  It seemed to have little affect on the squirrel however.
  
  The rpm's on The Dragon maxed out (I was not concerned about shifting at the moment) and her front end started to drop.
  
  Now picture the large man on the huge black and chrome cruiser, dressed in jeans, a very ragged torn t-shirt, and wearing one leather glove, roaring at probably 80mph, still on one wheel, with a large puffy squirrel's tail sticking out his mostly closed full-face helmet.
  
  By now the screams are probably getting a little hoarse.
  
  Finally I got the upper hand, I managed to grab his tail again, pulled him out of my helmet, and slung him to the left as hard as I could.
  
  This time it worked sort-of.
  
  Spectacularly sort-of, so to speak.
  
  Picture the scene. You are a cop.
  
  You and your partner have pulled off on a quiet residential street and parked with your windows down to do some paperwork.
  
  Suddenly a large man on a huge black and chrome cruiser, dressed in jeans, a torn t-shirt flapping in the breeze, and wearing one leather glove, moving at probably 80mph on one wheel, and screaming bloody murder roars by and with all his strength throws a live squirrel grenade directly into your police car.
  
  I heard screams. They weren't mine...
  
  I managed to get the big motorcycle under directional control and dropped
  the front wheel to the ground.
  
  I then used maximum braking and skidded to a stop in a cloud of tire smoke at the stop sign at a busy cross street.
  
  I would have returned to fess up (and to get my glove back). I really would have. Really.
  
  But for two things.
  
  First, the cops did not seem interested or the slightest bit concerned about me at the moment.
  
  One of them was on his back in the front yard of the house they had been parked in front of and was rapidly crabbing backwards away from the patrol car.
  
  The other was standing in the street and was training a riot shotgun on the police cruiser.
  
  So the cops were not interested in me. They often insist to "let the professionals handle it" anyway. That was one thing.
  
  The other? Well, I swear I could see the squirrel, standing in the back window of the patrol car among shredded and flying pieces of foam and upholstery, and shaking his little fist at me.
  
  I think he was shooting me the finger.
  
  That is one dangerous squirrel. And now he has a patrol car.
  
  I took a deep breath, turned on my turn-signal, made an easy right turn, and sedately left the neighborhood.
  
  As for my easy and slow drive home? Screw it. Faced with a choice of 80mph cars and inattentive drivers, or the evil, demonic, attack squirrel of death...I'll take my chances with the freeway. Every time.
  
  And I'll buy myself a new pair of gloves.
  
  CU Again,
  Daniel Meyer
- Blog post
- 6 months ago
- Favorite count: 5
- Views: 245
Is a Helmet Necessary?
- From: madcow
- Description:
  
  Before last week I would say, sometimes. But my mind was changed Monday, June 22,2009 at 8:57pm. I got a call that is and always has been the most feared of any parent. That your child has been in an accident! Now let me start from the beginning. my oldest son & daughter-inlaw decided to take her fathers "Harley" for an evening "cruise" and had left thier two daughters with the wife & me to watch. I was to meet them at thier house to drop off the grandkids on my way to work at 9. After arriving at almost 9pm and finding no one home I get "the call". It's my son telling me he & his wife have just had a wreck! Instinctively, I ask if they are alright? He says no. I ask: Where are you guys? I don't know, it just happened. By this time I'm frantic, Iask if the police or ambulance are there" No, he says, but as I stand there "speechless" I hear voices over the phone asking: "Are you alright? Is anyone hurt? Afterwards my son says he's on County road 259 & then hangs up. Here I stand with my two grand-daughters in the car, thinking what I should do! My mind is blurred with terrible images & thoughts. I fianally take grip and decide to take the grandkids back to my house and have my wife care for them while try to find my son and D-inlaw. As I search the countryside looking for the "crash site" I recieve a phone call from my brother-inlaw saying he heard of the accident and was there and gave me directions. By the time I arrived, everyone, I mean son, daughter-inlaw, police, fire-rescue, & motorcycle were gone. I then get a phone call from my wife saying her brother had called and said the "kids" were on thier way to the hospital.When I got there I found my son in one "emergency room" covered from head to toe with the worst case of "ROAD RASH" i had ever saw. My daughter-inlaw wasn't so lucky. See, neither one had on helmets, it's not cool! But they did have on thier "Okley's(sunglasses) When my daughter-inlaw's head hit the pavement her sunglass frames broke and drove the earpiece through the side of her cheek just under and behind her left eye. Luckly; she didn't loose her site! But she will have to have plastic surgery! Now the rest of her life, my "beautiful" daughter-inlaw will be reminded of that night the rest of her life each time she looks into a mirror! As for my son, he too; learned a valuable lesson. He told me that when he lost control in "loose gravel" and layed the bike over, he started rolling over & over toward a Road Sign. ANd all he could think of, was "what will become of my two little girls"? And then he hit the sign. My son is 6ft2 & wieghs around 245lbs and played defensive back in highschool & was "county all-star" player. He told me he had never tackled anybody that hurt as much as that sign did when he hit it "dead on".(bent road sign over with force of his body hitting it)! I'll end this story on a "happy note" both are out of hospital (still very sore) and say they will never ride without protective equipment again and I don't mean Okley's! As for me and my wife, we never ride without Helmets and the wife, since the kids accident, wears "chaps".
- Blog post
- 4 months ago
- Favorite count: 4
- Views: 1190
A Biker Diary
- From: uwe999
- Description:
  
  HER DIARY:
  Tonight, I thought my husband was acting weird. We had made plans to meet at a bar to have a drink. I was shopping with my friends all day long, so I thought he was upset at the fact that I was a bit late, but he made no comment on it.
  
  Conversation wasn't flowing, so I suggested that we go somewhere quiet so we could talk. He agreed, but he didn't say much. I asked him what was wrong; he said, 'Nothing.' I asked him if it was my fault that he was upset. He said he wasn't upset, that it had nothing to do with me, and not to worry about it.
  
  On the way home, I told him that I loved him. He smiled slightly, and kept driving. I can't explain his behavior. I don't know why he didn't say, 'I love you, too.' When we got home, I felt as if I had lost him completely, as if he wanted nothing to do with me anymore.
  
  He just sat there quietly, and watched TV. He continued to seem distant and absent. Finally, with silence all around us, I decided to go to bed. About 15 minutes later, he came to bed. To my surprise, he responded to my caress, and we made love.
  
  But I still felt that he was distracted, and his thoughts were somewhere else. He fell asleep - I cried. I don't know what to do. I'm almost sure that his thoughts are with someone else.
  My life is a disaster.
  
  HIS DIARY:
  My Harley wouldn't start today, but at least I got laid.
- Blog post
- 1 year ago
- Favorite count: 4
- Views: 708
Carb rejet
- From: mjbearit
- Description:
  
  Several of the items we decide we want to put on our bikes require that we rejet our carbs or have our carbs rejetted. While I encourage people to get to know their bike and how it works with these upgrades, only you can decide if you have the mechanical aptitude for performing this yourself. In this posting I wanted to show those who may not know, what to expect once they finally get their carbs off the bike. Now mind you this is from my VStar 1100, but this will give you some idea of the level of complexity and delicacy of a set of carbs no matter what you may be working on. If you look at these pics and say "I don't have a screwdriver" run do not walk to a mechanic and have them do it for you. This is one case where the screwdriver may cost more than the mechanic!
  
  In this fist pic we see the carbs as I took them off the bike (after I drained all the gas from them!) and set them on my bench. Now you may notice the color. No, my bench is not painted pink, those are clean shop towels! I find newspaper works well also. Make sure you have a clear, clean space before you do anything!
  
  On the bottom of these carbs is the float bowl. The float bowl houses your jets as they pertain to this project. What we will be working on will be the main jet and the pilot jet as those are the most common ones you will need to change out. I have removed the float bowl (I only work on one carb at a time and NEVER separate them! There is no reason to for this and getting them back together properly is a huge pain!) and set it aside for this picture. Now some time back I had changed the screws on my float bowls as the ones that come stock are a very soft brass screw and you will most likely have to use needle nosed vice grips to remove them and screw them up totally! I replaced with a SS hex screw which works much better. If you get a jet kit, chances are these will be included if your carb is like mine!
  
  In the next two photos you will see close ups of the main and pilot jets. Note that the size is stamped on the head of the main jet and the shaft of the pilot jet. These are made of soft brass also. Make sure you use a screw-driver that fits perfectly so that you do not destroy the jets! Also on these carbs the main jet is in a holder of sorts that extends it up higher. I had to use a wrench to hold the extender to remove the jet. When you replace these they should be snug to fairly tight. Do not crank them down as hard as you can!
  
  When you are done and you put the float bowl back, it will probably be a bit difficult, do not force it! Play with it a bit and you will feel it snap into place! I use a little Blue Loctite on the float bowl screws just so they don't vibrate out later. Do yourself a favor and do not use the Red Loctite. Stronger is not better! Don't ask how I know this! So once both carbs have the bottom end done, I move on to changing out the needle or add/remove shims, whatever is required. To do this, we have to go to the top of the carbs. Now the bottom will not rest flat on the bench and the parts can be fairly delicate, so I just keep a roll of duct tape handy, lay the roll down flat and it creates a perfect cradle for the carbs. Here is the top
  
  Under these black "caps" are the diaphram and needle assemblies. First I take this picture. That way as I am reassembling it I don't do something stupid and put a bracket in the wrong place or whatever and have to redo the whole thing! Now I unscrew this while holding the cap! There is a spring involved here and it will come flying out if you are not careful!
  
  Once we have that off and set aside, we remove the diaphram and needle assembly. The diaphram is a very thin rubber (or rubber like material) and while fairly tough can be damaged easily. They can also be fairly expensive depending on your carbs and the age of your bike! At any rate, they just lift right out
  
  Once we have them out, we are going to take a pair of needle-nosed pliars and pull the needle assembly out of the housing. Now these are very snall plastic parts so no gorilla strength should be used as these parts too can be expensive! On my carbs they are held in by friction and come out fairly easily with a slight pull and screwing motion. A lot of people will recommend doing this part with the diaphram and needle assembly in a clear plastic bag, as again, we will be dealing with a spring that can fly off in some direction and may never be seen again! Once you get this apart you will be looking at the needle, spring, shim(s) and the holder or keeper.
  
  When reinserting the finished diaphram and assembly into the carb, be very careful! Make sure the needle lines up with the holes, etc. It is pretty easy to damage a needle and a damaged needle needs to be replaced. You can never straighten it out or whatever to make it function the way it should.
  
  Well while these are not exactly instructions for rejetting your bike, I hope it gives you kind of an overview and helps you to decide whether or not this is something you are able to tackle without a mechanic. So two small facts on that. First I've found that if I work on it first and then have a mechanic "fix" it it usually costs more money. Secondly, there is no shame in realizing that something is beyond you ability to perform. I won't attempt brain surgery for that very reason...well okay and because I think it's kind of gross!
  
  Ride safe
  
  Mike
- Blog post
- 7 months ago
- Favorite count: 4
- Views: 654
Why We Ride
- From: manybikes
- Description:
  
  Here's the article I mentioned ...
  
  Saturday, November 8, 2008 (SF Chronicle) The exhilaration of riding on two wheels Arv Voss
  
     A question I'm often asked when people learn that I ride motorcycles not just for product review and analysis, but for pleasure as well, is - why do you ride? This query is generally followed by stern warnings about the dangers involved.
     Admittedly, motorcycle riding can be dangerous, but so is walking or driving a car. Danger is a subjective issue which may be minimized by taking safety precautions to reduce risk factors. Before a recent ride, a motorcycle manufacturer's public relations manager said that he always dressed for the crash rather than for the ride.
     Dangerous elements aside, I ride because I enjoy it. Riding is an escape from the everyday rat race. Climbing aboard a motorcycle regardless of style or type, embodies a heightened sense of freedom. It combines motion, speed and an unencumbered openness to elements the natural environment.
  Riding a motorcycle is about living life instead of just observing it.
     There are many rewarding things about motorcycle riding. For starters, you are able to be more in touch with your surroundings. You're exposed to the elements - feeling the sun, wind and sometimes rain. Scenery becomes more majestic and real when you're not traveling inside an enclosed vehicle - you're part of the surrounding world. Fragrances and aromas become more noticeable. Fields of wild flowers, pine forests and salt sea air awaken one's sense of smell as never before.
     For some riders, the sound of their machine stirs the adrenaline as they roll on the throttle. The exhaust note blends harmoniously with the sense of moving at speed through the atmosphere - for sport bike fans, the faster the better, as they carve around the challenging curves of their favorite mountain road. Many cruiser types prefer a more relaxed pace and certainly, a more relaxed riding position, but the sensation is the same.
  Entering and leaning into a turn, then powering out with the grace of a bird in flight, gently banking one way, then the other in a fluid rhythmic motion is its own reward.
     Riding comes more easily to some than to others. For those who aren't natural born riders, practice is key - the more you ride, the more relaxed and confident you become. The most important issue in enjoying motorcycle riding is experience, which yields confidence. Confident riders are aware of their capability and keep themselves within their range of expertise.
  Overconfidence can easily propel riders into the danger zone.
     Riders who most appreciate the sport of motorcycling are always eager to improve their riding skills, and the best way to achieve those goals, is to take a Motorcycle SafetyFederation-approved refresher or advanced rider course. These courses focus on enhancing the rider's skill level.
  Specialized schools exist which concentrate on various riding techniques including road racing (on a track, of course), off-road (dirt bike) or motocross. There's even a unique "wheelie" school for those who want to move from two wheels to one for sustained periods.
     I recently attended a Keith Code California Superbike School at Infineon Raceway in conjunction with a Kawasaki product introduction. I was initially apprehensive and even a little nervous at taking to the track on an unfamiliar sport bike, where the first exercise was to leave pit lane, shift up to fourth gear, then shift no more, circling the same road course that the AMA Superbike racers had competed on the day before. Brake use was forbidden, relying simply on throttle modulation, weight transfer and bike lean for control. I definitely wasn't the fastest on the track, but I survived and learned something in the process.
     The best reasoning for getting about on two wheels is because you can. Not only is it an economical way to get around, but it's a great deal of fun.
  
  Copyright 2008 SF Chronicle
  What do you think? Let me know in the comments...
- Video blog post
- 1 year ago
- Favorite count: 4
- Views: 633
Photo Contest - Win $100 from
- From: manybikes
- Description:
  
  Monthly Photo Contest!
  
  Do you have what it takes? Do you take great photos or know someone who does? If so, enter your photos in the monthly Cruiser Customizing Photo Contest!
  
  Who?     All Members
  What?    Any photo you or your friend (you must have permission to post) has taken
  When?   1st Monday - 4th Monday of every month
  Where? Winners will be announced at the launch of the next photo contest (1st Monday of the following month)
  How?      Winners will be judged on the number of Stars or Ratings the photos have been given by fellow community members.
  Why?     PRIZES:
  - 1st Place $50 Gift Certificate
  - 2nd Place $25 Gift Certificate
  - 3rd Place $15 Gift Certificate
  - 4th Place $10 Gift Certificate
  Rules:
  1. Have Fun!
  2. You must own the photo or have permission from the owner to use the photo in this contest
  3. Photo must contain you (or your significant other) and your motorcycle - at least 1 Person & 1 Motorcycle
  4. You may submit as many photos as you wish!
  5. Photos must be Tagged: me&mine
  6. Photo description must tell us about the photo: who, what, when, where?
  7. Email all of your friends - have them rate your photo!
  8. All photos must be submitted by End of Day 7/27/2009
  Here is my first submission if you need an example: me&mine (Vote for Me!!! while you are there!)
  
  I am looking forward to all of your submissions!
  
  Take Care,
  Kyle Bradshaw aka: Manybikes
- Blog post
- 4 months ago
- Favorite count: 4
- Views: 620
System troubleshooting
- From: crAzyAce
- Description:
  
  INSTALLING A HUSBAND
  
  Dear Tech Support,
  
  Last year I upgraded fromBoyfriend 5.0 toHusband 1.0 and noticed a distinct slow down in overall system performance, particularly in the flower and jewelry applications, which operated flawlessly underBoyfriend 5.0.
  
  In addition,Husband 1.0 uninstalled many other valuable programs, such as
  Romance 9.5andPersonal Attention 6.5, and then installed undesirable programs such as
  NBA 5.0,
  NFL 3.0and
  Golf Clubs 4.1.
  
  Conversation 8.0 no longer runs, andHousecleaning 2.6simply crashes the system.
  Please note that I have tried runningNagging 5.3 to fix these problems, but to no avail.
  
  What can I do?
  
  Signed,
  
  Desperate.
  
  DEAR DESPERATE,
  
  First, keep in mind,
  Boyfriend 5.0 is an Entertainment Package, while
  Husband 1.0 is an operating system.
  
  Please enter command:ithoughtyoulovedme.html, try to download Tears 6.2, and do not forget to install theGuilt 3.0update.
  If those applications work as designed,Husband 1.0 should then automatically run the applicationsJewelry 2.0 andFlowers 3.5.
  
  However, remember, overuse of the above application can causeHusband 1.0 to default to
  
  Grumpy Silence 2.5,Happy Hour 7.0, orBeer 6.1.
  Please note thatBeer 6.1 is a very bad program that will download theFarting and Snoring Loudly Beta.
  
  Whatever you do,DO NOT under any circumstances installMother-In-Law 1.0 (it runs a virus in the background that will eventually seize control of all your system resources.)
  
  In addition, please do not attempt to reinstall theBoyfriend 5.0-program. This is an unsupported application and will crashHusband 1.0.
  
  In summary,Husband 1.0 is a great program, but it does have limited memory and cannot learn new applications quickly. You might consider buying additional software to improve memory and performance. We recommend
  Cooking 3.0 and
  Hot Lingerie 7.7.
  
  Good Luck!
- Blog post
- 10 months ago
- Favorite count: 4
- Views: 549
The Deadly Dozen: 12 Motorcycl
- From: simmbad
- Description:
  
  When science meets urban legend and imperfect logic, some of the "facts" motorcyclists think they "know" about motorcycle safety, crashes, and riding turn out to be dangerous myths and misconceptions. From the February 2006 issue of Motorcycle Cruiser
  
  Motorcyclists should be be extremely cautious about what they hear about motorcycle safety. Some of it may be dangerously wrong.
  
  Get a group of motorcyclists talking about crashes and safety, and you will almost certainly hear some of them—popular misconceptions, incorrect assumptions, urban legends, and intuitive explanations about motorcycle safety that turn out to be wrong when you actually check out the facts. The problem is that believing these misconceptions can increase your chances of being involved in an accident or getting hurt when you do crash.
  
  Maybe you know BS when you hear it, but maybe you have heard some myths repeated so often or by people whose expertise you respect that you think they are actually true. Unfortunately, there are a lot of motorcyclists who do believe them. We thought that some of these fallacies should be brought out into the light of day so that riders have the right information upon which to make informed riding-safety decisions. We also hope it will keep more motorcyclists from repeating such misconceptions to riders who turn to them for advice.
  
  These are the Deadly Dozen, the motorcycle safety myths and urban legends ones that we hear most frequently.
  
  Myth 1: Other Drivers Don't Care About Motorcyclists
  
  It may seem hard to believe at times, but other drivers almost never actually want to hit you. Most of those near-misses come about because they don't always know you are there, even when you are right in front of them, seemingly in plain view. You can be obscured or completely hidden by glare, by other things on or along the road, by the cars roof pillars, the handicap hangtag, or by other traffic. Of course, not all drivers "think motorcycles" and make the effort to look that extra bit harder to see if there might be a motorcyclist hidden by that obscuration or in their blind spot.
  
  Instead of assuming that they will ignore you even when they see you, you should help make it easier for drivers to spot you, especially as the population ages and more drivers have greater difficulty in picking you out. To overcome the fact that you might be hard to see and harder to notice, wear bright colors, especially on your helmet and jacket. Run your high beam during the day. Think about things that can hide you and your bike from other drivers, things that can be as common as the sun behind you, the car ahead in the next lane, or a couple of roadside poles that line up on the driver's line of sight toward you. Make an effort to ride in or move to a location where drivers with potentially conflicting courses can see you before they stray your way.
  
  Myth 2: Loud Pipes Save Lives
  
  Yeah, there are a few situations—like where you are right next to a driver with his window down who is about the to change lanes—where full-time noise-makers might help a driver notice you, but all that noise directed rearward doesn't do much in the most common and much more dangerous conflict where a car turns in front of you. Maybe it's the fatigue caused by the noise, maybe it's the attitudes of riders who insist on making annoying noise, or perhaps loud bikes annoy enough drivers to make them aggressive. Whatever the reason, the research shows that bikes with modified exhaust systems crash more frequently than those with stock pipes. If you really want to save lives, turn to a loud jacket or a bright helmet color, which have been proven to do the job. Or install a louder horn. Otherwise, just shut up.
  
  Myth 3: Motorcycle Helmets Break Necks
  
  It seems logical—you put more weight out there on the end of your neck and when you get thrown off the bike, that extra weight will create more pendulum force on your neck. Turns out, it doesn't work that way. In fact, the energy-absorbing qualities of a DOT motorcycle helmet also absorb the energy that breaks riders' necks in impacts. Studies show that helmeted motorcyclists actually suffer fewer neck injuries when they crash compared to riders who crash without helmets.
  
  Myth 4: Helmets Block Your Ability to See or Hear Danger
  
  The thing you learn when you dig into the research is that motorcycle riders who use helmets crash less frequently than those who don't. Maybe that happens because motorcyclists who decide to wear helmets have a better or more realistic attitude about riding. Maybe it's because putting on a helmet is a reminder that what you are about to do can be dangerous and the act of accepting protection puts you in the right mindset. Maybe it's because a helmet provides eye protection and cuts down wind noise so you can actually see and hear better. Maybe its because, by cutting wind pressure and noise, a helmet reduces fatigue. Whatever the reasons, wearing a helmet clearly does not increase a motorcyclist's risk of having an accident and wearing one correlates to reduced likelihood of an accident.
  
  Myth 5: A Helmet Won't Help in Most Crashes
  
  People look at the seemingly low impact speeds used in motorcycle-helmet testing and assume that if you are going faster than that, the helmet will no longer be up to the job. That ignores a few critical facts:
- Most accidents happen at relatively low speeds.
- Most of the impact energy is usually vertical—the distance your head falls until it hits.
- Helmets (or at least helmets that meet DOT standards) perform spectacular life-saving feats at impact speeds far above those used in testing.
- When a helmeted rider suffers a fatal head injury, it frequently doesn't matter, because, to hit hard enough to sustain that fatal injury, he sustained multiple additional fatal injuries to other parts of his body. In other words, the fact that the helmet didn't prevent the head injury was of no consequence.
- The numbers clearly say that riders using DOT helmets simply survive crashes more successfully than those without them.
  
  Myth 6: A Helmet Will Leave You Brain Damaged in an Crash When You Would Have Simply Died
  
  Of course that's possible—your helmet attenuates the impact energy enough to keep the injury from being fatal but not enough to keep all of your eggs from getting scrambled. However, that's rare, and if you hit that hard, you are likely to get killed by some other injury. It's actually the un-helmeted rider who is likely to cross from animal to vegetable kingdom, and often from a relatively minor impact that would have damaged nothing but his ego if he'd been wearing a DOT helmet.
  
  Myth 7: A Skilled Rider Should Be Able to Handle Almost Any Situation
  
  The sharpest, most skilled motorcyclist in the world isn't going to be up to the task when a car turns or pulls out in front of him a short distance ahead and stops directly in his path broadside. Believing that your superior skills will keep you of trouble is a pipe dream, even if they are as good as you think. No matter how skilled you are, it's better to ride to avoid situations that can turn ugly. Slow down, scan farther ahead, and think strategically. And dress for the crash.
  
  Myth 8: If You Are Going to Crash, Lay It Down
  
  I suspect this line was developed by riders to explain why they ended up flat-side-down while trying to avoid a crash. They over-braked or otherwise lost control, then tried to explain the crash away as intentional and tried to make it sound like it wasn't a crash at all. Maybe motorcycle brakes once were so bad that you could stop better off your bike while sliding or tumbling. If so, that hasn't been true for decades. You can scrub off much more speed before and there be going slower at impact with effective braking than you will sliding down the road on your butt. And if you are still on the bike, you might get thrown over the car you collide with, avoiding an impact with your body. If you slide into a car while you are on the ground, you either have a hard stop against it or end up wedged under it. Remember that the phrase "I laid 'er down to avoid a crash" is an oxymoron, often repeated by some other kind of moron.
  
  If you are going to ride a motorcycle in the near future, no beer is enough beer.
  
  The only events where being on the ground might leave you better off are: 1) on an elevated roadway where going over the guardrail will cause you to fall a long way, or 2) in that situation you see occasionally in movies, where the motorcyclist slides under a semi trailer without touching it. That's a good trick if the truck is moving.
  
  Myth 9: One Beer Won't Hurt
  
  Maybe not while you are drinking it, but if you get on your motorcycle after that, the effects of a single beer can get you hurt for life. No matter how unaffected you are sure you are, all the studies say differently. You increase your risk to yourself and to others when you drink and hit the road. Also, as you age, your metabolism slows down, and those "coupla drinks" you had last night may still be affecting you when you hit the road the next morning.
  
  Myth 10: It's Better to Stay in Your Lane than Split Lanes
  
  In most parts of the world, motorcycles split lanes all the time, everywhere traffic is heavy. Here in the U.S., people often act as if lane-splitting is insane. But when someone actually studied it in the only place in the U.S. where it's legal (California), they discovered it's actually slightly safer than staying in the lane in heavy, slow-moving traffic. Still many motorcyclists berate others who do it, when they should in fact be endorsing it.
  
  Myth 11: I'm Safer on the Street than on an Interstate
  
  The thinking here must be that slower is safer, but that's only really true after the accident begins. Controlled-access roadways are inherently safer because all the traffic is going the same way, and there are no side streets from which someone can pop into your path, no pedestrians, and, often, less roadside "furniture" to hit if you depart the roadway. Running down the road at 70 mph side-by-sidewall with the whirling wheels of a semi may feel hairy, but you are actually safer than at half that speed on a city street or even a country road.
  
  Myth 12: A Skilled Rider Can Stop Better with Conventional Brakes than with Anti-Lock Brakes
  
  Extensive testing done recently disproves this popular notion. Even on clean, dry, flat pavement, skilled, experienced riders (who did hundreds of panic stops for the testing on outrigger-equipped motorcycles) stopped in less distance with anti-lock brakes (ABS) than with conventional or linked braking systems. Though the tests didn't include samples on surfaces with slick, dirty or wet spots, ABS certainly would have performed even better under those conditions while eliminating much of the risk of crashing.
  
  The other cool thing about ABS on a motorcycle is that allows you to safely practice panic stops without risking a crash caused by lock-up.
  
  Anyway, the next time tells you that he had to "lay it down" or that green bikes crash more than purple ones, you can nod and snicker internally or challenge them. Just don't base your own riding choices on what other people assume unless their is some solid science to back it up.
  
  For more information on safe-riding equipment, strategies, techniques and skills, see the Street Survival section of MotorcycleCruiser.com.